Roses? I didn't smell no stinkin roses....Photos? I didn't take no stinkin photos. LOLAnd here's why......

Short Version I left, my biking skills were put to the test, my bike developed problems and it was cheaper for me to come back and have the coolant leak addressed and to change all hoses. The wind at one point was 50 mph gusts. I met some great people. it was what it was, I had to turn around and come home. A whirl wind bike trip in more than one way.

The Extended Version

The last time I posted I had pulled into the Brick Yard Motel in Rawlings Wy. Its a small 70s looking place with small rooms but was clean and bed was comfortable with soft cotton sheets. The ride that day had been very windy.Next morning I look outside briefly and yea ! it was sunny. But my enthusiasm waned when I opened the door and was hit with wind from the west. OH CRAP ! I fought fires in Mt. and in our classes we learned how to tell how fast the wind was blowing by the way the tops of the trees moved. From what I could remember, around 30 to 40.Packed up and got in the road into a strong SW wind. As I traveled west there were lit signs, which Wy uses as traffic warnings. I read the there were high wind warnings for those who were pulling small trailers. And there were wind gusts of 50 mph forecasted. I headed west and was glad to see I wasn't the only biker riding in the wind.

At one point while going about 70 I could see, thanks to my spot mirrors I just applied before the trip, cause with my full helmet on i couldn't see behind me very well. that there were two tractor trailers in the passing lane coming up on me. It was either deal with them passing me or go about 85 which I wasn't comfortable with. Although I have had her up to 105. One passed and then with no regard for my safety pulled back into my lane way too close for MY comfort. So he's in front of me and there's the other one beside me.You've seen in so many movies, the lady who gets so freaked out with fear that she faints? I had to shake that thought from my head and cowgirl up to get through that mess. Took me about three hours to get to Bridger Wy. Windy as all get out the whole way. I was mentally and physically tired. I had to keep telling myself to relax my shoulders arm and hands. The rest of me was ok. At times I could hardly unclench my hands to reach my clutch lever.

The place was packed. Everything I dislike about that sort of rendezvous. I am a people watcher however. I parked my bike where twenty or so other bikes were, grabbed my mtwoman stuff and trade goods and headed into the masses.

The man who was providing a small wedge tent for me to camp in, who I was supposed to meet, and who I had no clue what he looked like or him, me. Was somewhere in thousands of people and hundreds of camps. I wandered for a bit, asking authentically dressed guys if the knew Todd... cause I didn't even know his last name. I tried calling and texting but his phone had died. I had now way to contact him.finally I asked one guy if he knew him and lo and behold it was Todd. He showed me where my camp was and I changed into my mtwoman garb.

My old rendezvous friends have either become crippled, or died or just lost interest or cant afford the trips or don't get on the ground and up very well anymore so I sorta wander around by myself. Sometimes I suffer from social anxiety but try to hide it. At one point I decided to go back out to my bike and get my sleeping bag since I wasn['t staying in primitive camp. I was told that I could not leave my bike there over night. And had to park it a couple blocks away. And what? carry all may stuff back and forth which was about 1/3 mile away? NOt happening. My only choice was to go back to camp, change into my civies and deal with finding a place to stay. That's what I attempted to do. I was so tired from carrying stuff back and forth already that I stopped some kid, who was about about ten, and offered him five dollars to carry my packs back to the parking lot for me. When we got there I gave him seven.

There was no place to stay, all campgrounds were full, motels were full. I was in a real quandary. What made it worse was the sky was black to the se and blowing nw. There are three towns close together and I rode from one to the other to see and option arise. But it seemed none would. I rode out towards 80 to a rest stop I'd seen but there was only one semi and some creepy guy wandering around so back to town I went. I was going to offer anyone I saw, some money to allow me to throw a sleeping bag down on their floor, or under a bush. The opportunity to speak with someone didn't arise until I made my third trip back to a place called lyman.

I saw a biker guy on a really nice black harley, who was talking with a woman in a parking lot.I pulled up next to him and asked if he knew anyone who would allow me to pay them to stay at their place. He was surprised I was traveling alone. A damsel in distress. Well I don't know about "damsel" but for sure in distress !!! He asked the woman to call someone and she did. Bingo, I had a place to stay. As he led the way in front of me I saw that he was a member of the Bridger Wyoming American Legion bike group. I followed him to their club house where I was provided with a comfortable bed in a separate room, a fridge full of food and a bar full of drink and was told to make myself at home. I stayed two nights. While there I was invited to attend a bbq where I met some genuinely wonderful friendly people. I didn't want to leave. But didn't want to appear to be taking advantage of their kindness either.

So, running out of funds already and the problems with my bike and some financial issues at home, It was what it was, I had to leave and head home. I had given myself that out. To decide once if I got to Bridger, to decide if I wanted to go north or not. It was a difficult and challenging ride. I think worrying about my bike made it even worse. I am very satisfied with my first solo bike trip. It tested my riding abilities to the max and I aced it. Im more confident about my riding. I still don't do small tight turns with much confidence. I ended up in the denver in the worse traffic id ever been in.

Oh and ,,, I got about 70 miles from my home and saw a hellacious storm moving fast east in the Arkansas Valley. My goal was to beat it. But I didn't. I got hailed on Rained on sideways, my boots had water in them . the wind was stronger than anything I'd encountered in Wy. I believe its called a Micro Burst. I was about 10 miles from home then. As long as I was moving I was ok but when I stopped at a stop sign, i nearly was blown over. Visibility was low, no place to stop, so close to home. Lightening striking within half a mile away from me, thunder

the wrath of the evil gods was upon me!!! like telling me "oh so youve survived everything I threw at you on your trip, lets see you survive this !!!! "All I can say is when a gal proclaims herself to be a neo maenad, the good gods are with her. LOL

It was an awesome adventure. Last night after a soak in the tub I fell asleep on my couch and awoke, it seemed as if my trip had been an exciting, wonderous dream and I had been asleep for only a short while.

WAUGH !!!!

_________________" She's got the heart of a poet and the emotional makeup of a junk yard dog " ~ Stephen King "Cremation, my last hope for a smok'n hot body" ~ FacebookFREEDOM~LIBERTY

Sounds like quite an adventure girl !!! Glad you got home safe. Sounds like you made some friends from the Legion, sorry about the bike problems and bad weather, but like they say , what don't kill you makes you stronger.

_________________Those who trade liberty for security shall have neither.

"Take ye heed,watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is".

Rev. 6:8 and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was death , and Hell followed with him.

Remind me never to go on a bike ride with you, to much excitement Glad you made it back home safe. Although your trip itinerary was not completed you still managed to make some new friends and still have an adventure.

She is already strong. You don't get that adventurous by being a wuss. A solo road trip like that takes brass and she has it.

MSG,

Life is an adventure and you are adventurous. Next trip, may you not suffer the mechanical issues that have been raising their ugly little heads. Glad you made it without another road roll. Believe you lost enough skin the last time. Not much to be done about the weather other than dealing with it.